“The tragedy of a ridiculous man. His growing awareness and the inevitable realisation of a bitter truth: life is fiction, life is appearance, life is vanity. An ironic and bitter film, at times fiercely funny, that reflects the existential condition of the contemporary Man. There are echoes of Lanthimos and Östlund, but with a novel sense of compassion that is both sincere and exceptionally profound.”

Beatrice Fiorentino, Artistic Director of the Venice Critics' Week

“ A tart, funny, slightly heartbreaking debut feature. A superb black comedy. Auspiciously polished and snappy. This Venice Critics’ Week highlight has already racked up robust sales on the strength of its sparkling, readily translatable satire and quicksilver leading turn by Albrecht Schuch A tremendous comic performance of great physical ingenuity and pent-up emotional desperation by Schuch. Sufficiently smart and distinctive to weather unavoidable comparisons to the work of Yorgos Lanthimos and Ruben Östlund . Peacock is a degree or two warmer than either. Wenger’s script is a sly, finely balanced thing, pointedly and often hilariously poking fun at corporate and capitalistic ideals of self-improvement and social coordination, without ridiculing the individuals who feel beholden to those standards.”

VARIETY - Guy Lodge

“An assured, witty debut. Smoothly structured and peppered with dry comic moments . The smart concept, social commentary and a strong central performance combine to create a polished, slyly entertaining work that should attract arthouse audiences Wenger reveals his affinities with Yorgos Lanthimos and Ruben Ostlund in his approach to human vulnerability and social critique. Schuch’s sincere performance and comic timing ensures that Matthias remains a sympathetic presence as he navigates the horrors and opportunities of a brave new life based on honesty.”

SCREEN - Allan Hunter

“A genuinely funny, confident and uplifting exploration of identity and self-expression. A comedy that understands the importance of sincerity , utilising its humour to explore serious topics in a way that doesn’t ever feel forced. Wenger isn’t afraid to swing between moments of broad, subtle and even quite dark humour . And Schuch really sells it , nailing it in a way that isn’t cartoonishly robotic, but messy and so very human . Feels very inspired by Scandinavian and British comedies, slightly droll and absurdist and very low-key . But also very distinctly Germanic, with a – somewhat slightly ironic – self-confidence that doesn’t ever waver Peacock is more than just a comedy ; it’s about discovering who you are. Peacock lets itself be very funny, yes, but it’s also serious, glib, silly, weird and sincere , all at the same time. It’s complex , just like people are.”

LOUD AND CLEAR - Claire Fulton

“A dry, accentuated humour that tip-toes around the surreal. Schuch has chameleonic qualities . No matter what over-the-top scenarios Wenger throws at him, he grabs them and plays them straight, further enhancing the satire . The humour on this (anti-)hero’s journey does not stem from quips or slapstick, but rather from the tragic realities of life’s absurdities.”

CINEUROPA - Susanne Gottlieb

“Witty and meticulously crafted. This rare comic gem is consistently good fun from start to finish, all dancing along on Schuch’s graceful, spring-heeled performance. This droll black comedy has been one of the stand-out sidebar premieres. Positive reviews, a sharp-witted script and universally relatable themes should help secure audience and sales interest beyond German-speaking regions. Peacock works as both nimble farce and broader satirical allegory. At times it comes close to the withering critical tone of acerbic directors like Ruben Östlund, but Wenger is more empathetic and merciful than that. His intent is to gently mock his flawed characters and their superficial values, not to burn the whole rotten system to the ground. Shuch gives a magnetic, tightly controlled, balletic performance. ”

THE FILM VERDICT - Stephen Dalton